Uncertainty hangs over Giro dell’Emilia amid possibility of protests against Israel–Premier Tech

The Giro dell’Emilia faces a tense week as organizers navigate mounting pressure over Israel–Premier Tech’s planned participation. According to local media reports, local activist groups are calling for the race to be blocked if the team is allowed to compete.

This is just the latest in an ongoing story as far as the ProTeam.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations disrupted the Vuelta a España, with the final stage being cancelled. Israel–Premier Tech has also recently been uninvited to the 2026 O Gran Camiño. Furthermore, Barcelona’s city council has stated it will not host the squad at the 2026 Tour de France– unless the team distances itself from the Israeli flag.

Protests in Canada

Here in Canada, the team faced protests at Les Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et Montréal. During the Vuelta, the team changed the jersey, removing the word “Israel.” At the Canadian races, the squad asked to be referred to as IPT in the results sheet.

In Bologna, city councillor for sport Roberta Li Calzi has publicly supported calls to exclude the squad. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, she said, “We cannot accept that a team with links to the Israeli government takes part in the Giro dell’Emilia,” she said, urging organizers to bar the squad from the race.

It should be noted, despite claims by others, the team is not officially sponsored by the State of Israel. It is, however, currently registered in Israel, and co-owned by Sylvan Adams, an Israeli-Canadian billionaire, and there are three Israeli riders on the ProTeam, the rest being North American, New Zealanders or European. Furthermore, Adams has called himself a“self-proclaimed ambassador of Israel.”

Race director says decision not up to him

As far as the exclusion, Race director Adriano Amici, however, emphasized that the decision does not rest with him. “It’s not up to me to exclude the Israeli team, but it’s up to the UCI to communicate when it’s better that a team does not compete. We invite the best teams in the world, and my position becomes difficult because I’m essentially obliged to invite the best squads and riders. The team’s name has nothing to do with it, we’ve always had it and there have never been problems,” he said to TuttoBici.

Meanwhile, there are calls from bike supplier Factor, as well as the title sponsor Premier Tech, to rebrand the team.

As protest threats loom, the future of the Giro dell’Emilia — a race with more than a century of history…